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Career Profile: Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic(04:55)

Matthew Turley says he was terrified when he first got to boot camp, but quickly discovered that training and working in the Army is fun. Today Matthew and his team keep their unit's big vehicles rolling and ready.

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I expected it to be hard. I mean, basic training isn’t supposed to be easy. As soon I was got here, I was -- I mean, I was terrified. I mean, I’m actually in the Army boot camp. And right now, we’re just faces to each other. I mean, we’re bonding, I know, because we’re all in an unknown area. We all don’t know what we came into, and we’re all suffering together.

Drill Sergeant:

So everybody else had his American flag on but you.

Matthew Turley:

Now that I’m here and I’m experiencing it, it’s literally the most fun. I love it.

Everything they do here is to help benefit us to make us a better soldier. I plan on making the Army a career. I plan on staying as long as I can.

I feel honored. But then again, it just kind of feels normal, a little bit like home. I can’t wait for it to all be over, but then again, like I said in the beginning, I just -- I’m going to miss it.

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My favorite part about being a wheel vehicle mechanic is that I can, you know, get my hands dirty, actually work with people that I like to work with, and actually get a job done together as a group.

Daniel Broadnax:

The job of a wheel vehicle mechanic is to maintain and support the Warfighter. Engine breaks, tire falls off, we’re there, fix it, get it up, and get it up and running, back in the fight.

Matthew Turley:

They’re reliant on me to make sure that their vehicle is working so they can complete their mission. Everyone needs a mechanic. I mean, when your car breaks down. I mean, not everyone knows what to do about a car.

I mean, I try to do my best on everything. But if something happens, a vehicle failed and I worked on that particular part, it would destroy me.

Daniel Broadnax:

I believe Private Turley is a perfect fit for a wheel vehicle mechanic, actually. He’s willing to get dirty, and at the same time, he’s willing to learn.

Matthew Turley:
I view the world so much differently now that I’m a soldier. Like, right before I went to basic, I was scared that I wouldn’t be the same person. I mean, I changed a lot to better myself when I came to basic. I was, like, really motivated, wanted to work out more, just really wanted to improve myself.

Daniel Broadnax:

PT, excellent PT. Do it running, always motivated, willing -- willing to take charge of the formation. When I see my soldiers out there, grimy and dirty with their coveralls, and everything greasy, and just tired from a hard day’s work. And it actually motivates me and makes me want to just go out there and even do more with them.

Matthew Turley:

I definitely stand out when I first on the coveralls. I mean, everyone’s sitting there, like, greased up everything, and, you know, they can tell that they had experience. And I’m coming in with a nice, clean pair. I mean, it kind of just says, “Hey, I’m new.”

Charles McBride:

When Private Turley first arrived here, I could see that he was pretty motivated, ready to work. I have not actually seen Turley get yelled at. He’s doing pretty good.

Michaela Herzog:

I came here my first day, I get put on a vehicle with Turley. He became one of the people that I could trust in this unit. He has his head straight, he knows exactly what he wants.

Daniel Broadnax:

Private Turley is a -- is a really good soldier. He hit the ground running, and he took responsibility very well. Be in charge of a mobile tool shed, multiple inventories of over 200 lines of equipment. He’s turning wrenches and doing everything he needs to do.

Matthew Turley:

This is a truck forklift, MHE-270. I’m just checking. I’m doing biannual checkup, and I’m just checking to see if nothing’s corroded so it won’t break on us.

Charles McBride:

At work, he’s always willing to help and learn new things. And I think that’s really good as a mechanic. It’s going to make him better at the next level.

Matthew Turley:

And you learn something new every day. That’s another thing I love about this job, because I just learned something new yesterday, you know? I view every single vehicle I work on is important, because we -- every single one is needed.

Michaela Herzog:

If I’m working on a vehicle and he’s outside somewhere, I’m going to go find him, just ask him a question to get the right answer.

Daniel Broadnax:

Private Turley being a unit armor is a good thing, because he’s going to be in charge of the -- of the unit’s weapons, night vision goggles, as well as thermal optics. I believe Private Turley can go as far as he wants.

Matthew Turley:

I want to make it to an E3 to E4, and make it higher, even to an officer.

Michaela Herzog:

He’s outstanding. He knows what he wants in life, and he’s doing his best to get there.

Matthew Turley:

Looking back on all of it, it was definitely worth it. I mean, just seeing a change from who I was to who I am now, it changed my life in so many ways. It never came as a thought that this was a wrong choice. I knew I wanted to be here. I mean, there’s nothing, no higher honor than serving your country.